Palm cake - sweet specialty of An Giang land

Banh bo is a rustic dish of the people in the Western provinces. If you have never been to Chau Doc, An Giang, the name banh bo thot not may sound strange to you. This is a specialty that represents the culinary culture of the Seven Mountains and you can only enjoy this cake in its authentic flavor here.

1. Introduction to Banh Bo

Palm cake originated from the tree of the same name. Palm tree in Khmer is "th'not", but local people often pronounce it as "th'not tree", so it gradually became familiar and became the name it is today. Palm tree plays an important role in the life of Khmer people. From the trunk, leaves, flowers to the fruit of the palm tree, people take full advantage of it. In addition to basic ingredients such as rice flour, coconut milk, ... this specialty cake is also made from palm sugar and palm peel powder. Palm cake is often bright yellow, very beautiful and attractive.

2. What is special about palm sugar cake?

The specialty of palm cake has the aroma of rice wine, the fat of coconut water and the sweetness of palm sugar, bringing a special flavor and color that you cannot find in traditional cakes. Palm cake is an ideal sweet cake to help you recharge your energy, because of the rich carbohydrate content (flour, sugar) and saturated fat in the cake. You can use palm cake as a snack, dessert, or eat with braised meat, roasted pork...

For locals, this type of banh bo is a snack that meets all the criteria of being delicious, nutritious and cheap. For food lovers who are visiting the Seven Mountains for the first time, this is the top specialty that everyone buys as a gift. The small, soft, fragrant and fatty banh bo thot not, one bite and you will never forget this flavor.

3. Ingredients to make palm sugar cake

To make delicious palm cakes, you have to go through many steps and spend a lot of effort and thought. If the baker does not have enough experience or skill, the cake will not rise after steaming or the flavor of the cake will not be delicious. Therefore, the selection of ingredients is a very important step.

Normally, people will choose to buy Nang Nhen rice flour, which is also a specialty of An Giang. Palm fruit must have thick flesh to easily grind into powder. Palm sugar must be pure powdered sugar, without any impurities. In addition, rice wine and coconut milk are needed to help the finished product of palm cake have the right fatty and fragrant flavor.

4. The secret to the unforgettable flavor of An Giang palm cake

4.1. Elaborate cake making process

Tools to make An Giang's specialty cake include a cake mold, a steamer and a stove. Then prepare all the ingredients including ground rice flour mixed with premium palm sugar, then ferment with rice wine. The secret to creating the unique flavor of palm sugar cake is the way to mix the rice wine, so that the dough can ferment properly before pouring into the mold and steaming. The process from caramelizing sugar, fermenting the dough to steaming the cake is extremely elaborate and meticulous, requiring the skill and steady hand of the baker. During the fermentation time, the baker must watch the time to add a little rice wine to the dough to help the fermentation process go faster, and the cake when steamed will be soft, spongy and delicious.

The next step is to use a ladle to pour the dough into a round or square mold, put it in a steamer for about 20 minutes and wait until you smell the fragrant aroma. Each mold of the palm cake will be as big as the mouth of a large plate and about 3cm thick. Wait until the cake is almost cooked, then spread a layer of fragrant coconut milk on the surface of the cake, adding to the deliciousness of the palm cake. Experienced bakers share that if you want fragrant and fatty coconut milk, you must choose dry coconut, squeeze out the water and add a little salt before cooking.

When the cake is cooked, people lift the steamer to take the cake out, sprinkle more grated coconut on top. Notably, the palm cake is wrapped in banana leaves or special soong leaves only found in Chau Doc region.

4.2. Enjoy the palm cake

Before eating, people often use a knife to cut the cake into small pieces like grapefruit segments. Holding a hot golden-yellow palm cake, you will immediately smell the irresistible aroma. Slowly put the cake in your mouth, you will immediately feel the spongy taste of the cake, the sweet aroma of palm sugar, the richness of coconut milk and the crunchiness of shredded coconut. To enhance the flavor, you can eat palm cake with roasted sesame seeds or dip the cake in a bowl of rich coconut milk.

Palm cake is a snack or a treat for guests at parties or death anniversaries. If you don't finish eating the cake in a day, you can put it in a sealed bag and store it in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. When you want to eat it, just steam it again or heat it in the microwave.

5. Places selling delicious palm cake

The specialty of palm cake is quite popular, sold everywhere in An Giang, from small markets in the district to the large Chau Doc market. In addition, along the roads leading to Ba Chua Xu Temple in Sam Mountain, Chau Doc, people also process and sell cakes on the roadside. The price of a portion of palm cake is quite affordable, worthy of the quality and excellent flavor of this famous An Giang dish.

If you want to buy banh bo at reputable and famous establishments to bring back as gifts, you can refer to Banh bo Ut Dut located at 13 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Long Thanh Ward, Tan Chau Town, An Giang. The special thing about this place is the giant loaf of banh bo, which looks extremely attractive.

In addition, you can also try the famous Ha Co grilled palm cake shop nearby. Different from the usual way of making, the palm cake at the shop will be evenly coated with flour on the surface of the pan, then covered and baked until the cake is cooked. In addition to the fragrant aroma and characteristic sweetness, the grilled palm cake will have a crispy outer layer and an eye-catching golden color.

The specialty of palm cake of Bay Nui An Giang has truly conquered the hearts of food lovers. Don't forget to save this cake in your iguide.ai travel guide and come enjoy it to fully experience the delicious, fatty and sweet flavor that melts in your mouth.

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